My ten top tips for stroke recovery

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Be determined

Despite the apparent hopelessness of the situation, there are ways forward. With determination and help progress can be made, although it will often seem very slow.

Recording even slow progress is critical. This will show what has been achieved over time and it is particularly important that the survivor's family appreciate this.

The survivor too can help in several ways; by being awkward in a positive way, by striving to achieve even when there is a risk of failure, by keeping going under pressure and by trying to remember and record the things that work so they can be repeated.

In my case I was determined to go to York, a city I love, but I was very apprehensive about travelling alone by train. I made lots of dummy runs to Cumbria, being put on the train and met at the other end. After a long time was I was able do that journey on my own and was ready to take the next step, the trip to York. So I made my own way to the station, got on the train and was met at York. I cannot describe the sense of achievement that this journey, so simple for others but so difficult for me, gave me. It spurred me on to do more.

Recently I have become more adventurous. When I was asked to help raise money for charity by abseiling off a tall building in Newcastle I thought I would give it a go. And I'm glad I did. It was a exhilirating experience which I could not have contemplated in the early years of my recovery. Here is a photo of the event taken from my best side.